Awning



F. M. POWERS 2,620,025

Dec. 2, 1952 AWNING 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Sept. 22, 1948 bi I 7/ ji fl.

Dec; 2, 1952 F, M, POWERS 2,620,025

. AWNING Filed Sept. 22. 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Dec. 2, 1952 n AWNING Frank M. PoweraltiverForest, ,Ill.,, assignor to. Powers; 8: Company, a partnership Application September 22, 1948, Serial No. 50,585

This invention I relates to an improved awning and frame therefor, and in particular it relates to an awning framewhich is-collapsible forshipping and in which thefront bar and side bars are longitudinally adjustable.

In'the construction ofawning'frames, it has heretofore been customary to build the frame with a front bar and side bars which areof a fixed length. Upon installation ofan' awning, it is frequently necessary'to cut'the side bars to compensate'for irregularities in the plane of the two sides. of the'window frame, orto cut the front bar'to fit the awning material which is ready cut and stitched. Stretching of the materialand irregularities in the manufacture make it necessary to adapt a'large percentage of awning front bars tothe awning material atthe time of erec tion.

Furthermore, the rigid bars are necessarily shipped in bulk and separate from the cloth portion of the awning; and it is necessary forthe retailstore-to match up the correctwidth of awning'frame with the particular awning being purchased. This puts a large burden on the retailerand results in many errors.

This invention makes it possible to provide three or four sizes of awning frames to accommodate any awning from a 2-foot width to any required'size;

Furthermore, by making the awning frame front bar and side bars longitudinally adjustable, it'is possible forthe first time to furnish a complete awning kit to the retail dealer so that a single package will contain a cloth awning and an adjustable frame which can be readily arranged to fit boththe cloth and the window frame. With this invention, too, it is now possible for the first time to sell satisfactory awnings direct by mail to the consumer, who can assemble and'hang his own awnings with assurance of a properly fitting awning and frames.

The front bar of the awning includes a plurality of long, telescopically engaging elements which have smooth bearing surfaces which are in engagement with each other over considerable areas even in the most extended positions of the various elements forming the front bar. This is essential if the front bar isjto be completely rigid when extended. The elements of the front bar are either round rods or tubes, so that each element affords a bearing surface which is con tinuous both longitudinally and circumferentially of the element. The several elements are in close sliding engagement, and in any position of'adjustment they provide a substantially continuous 7 Claims. (Cl- 160-64) V 2 bearing surfaceto engage the front part of the awning fabric.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an awning having a'frame embodying theinvention, the wing of the awning being removed for clarity; Fig. 2 is a plan view of an awning frame illustrating one form of the invention; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing details: of the preferred cornerconstruction and one form of locking element; Fig. 4 is afragmentaryend elevation viewing Fig. 3 from the right; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectionalview of an adjustable bar provided with the locking element of'Figs. 3 and 4; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the preferred frame collapsed for shipping, with a shipping container dotted in; Fig. 'Tis aplan view of a frame showing an alternate front bar construction; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevation of an alter-- hate-form of front bar; Fig. 9-is a fragmentary sectional view of an alternative corner member structure suitable forverylarge-awnings; Fig.- I0 is a sectional viewofa second form of locking element; and Fig. 11 is a-section taken asJindicated at Il-II of Fig.10.

Referring to the drawingsin greater detail, the invention is illustrated in a preferred form in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, in which the main body portion of a fabric awning II is secured to a front bar I I 2 and supported from a windowframe I 3 by a top fixture I4 and pivotally mounted side bars 23.

As best seen in Fig. 2, the front bar I2 isvcomposed of a pair of corner members IS, a pair, of separate central members I1, each telescopically engaging the inner end of one of said corner members, and a connecting member I'a-telescopically engaging both of the central members H. In the system of telescoping parts, the connecting member I8 may be regarded as an outer member, while each of the central members I1 is an inner member. I

In the preferred form illustrated, the corner members I6 are formed of rods; while the central members I! are formed of tubular stock ofrappropriate internal diameter to make aisnug sliding fit on the aforesaid rods, and the connecting member I 8 is formed of tubular stock of appropriateinternal diameter to make a snug'sliding fit on the-central members I I.

In order-to permit the desired longitudinal adjustment of the telescoping members I6, I1 and I8, and to lock them against accidental telescoping once they have been adjusted. to the desired length, the outer ends of each of the tubes forming the members I! and I8 may be split, as indicated at 19, and provided with an external thread 20 to accommodate a knurled locking nut 2| which is slightly tapered so as to spring the tube ends inwardly as the nut is screwed onto the thread 20. Thus the telescoping members may be securely clamped together.

The second form of locking means, illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11, employs a knurled nut 1!, having a thread 12 adjacent one end and a restriction E3 of slightly larger diameter than the inner member 16 adjacent the opposite end. A resilient split collet 14 within the nut H encircles the inner member and is provided with a cam surface 15 to cooperate with the restric tion 13 as the nut TI is screwed onto the thread of the outer member, whereby the collet frictionally engages the inner member so as to retain the telescoping members in any predetermined longitudinal relationship.

The side bars 23 are adjustable and are pivotally secured to the corner members it by means of pivot members 22; and each side bar consists of a forward member 24 and a rear member 25 telescopically engaging the member 24. In the preferred form illustrated, the forward members 24 are formed of rods and'the rear members are formed of tubes; and the forward ends of the tubes are split and threaded as are the front bar tubes I! and ill in order to receive knurled locking nuts 26 to lock the side bars 23 in any desired adjusted position.

As best seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the front bar 12 and side bars 23 are provided, respectively, with interlocking portions 21 and 28 which prevent the side bars from being pivoted outwardly beyond a position perpendicular to the front bar l2, but which nevertheless allow the side bars to be moved to a collapsed position adjacent and parallel to the front bar. The extreme rear end portion of each side bar 23 is flattened, as at 29, and is provided with an aperture 30 adapted to receive a bolt or screw 3! by which the side bars are secured to a window frame.

The telescoping construction of the front bar l2 permits the frame to be used with awnings of various widths, so that a single frame may be used with awnings of several different sizes. Furthermore, the common minor variations in widths of awnings of the same size may be compensated by adjustment of the telescoping members forming the front bar. Similarly, the variation in the plane of the two sides of the window frame which is often encountered in old houses may be compensated by adjustment of the telescoping members of the side bars 26.

The preferred form of frame is illustrated in Fig. 6 as it appears collapsed and taken apart for shipping, a suitable shipping container being indicated in dotted lines. Ordinarily, the side bars 23 will be moved to their collapsed position for shipping, and the connecting member l8 of the front bar will be disengaged from both the central members I! so as to permit the frame to be packed in a shipping container of small total length and girth. The awning fabric H is not illustrated in Fig. 6 but would ordinarily be wrapped around the frame members and shipped in the same container therewith. The telescoping construction permits an awning frame which can accommodate an awning up to 12 feet in width to be packed, together with the awning fabric, in a shipping container of a combined length and girth not exceeding 100 inches.

A frame having an alternative front bar structure is illustrated in Fig. '7, this front bar being one which is not capable of as great extension as the preferred form. This form is similar to that previously described, except that the front bar 42 has only a single central member 43 which telescopically engages corner members 44. Other details of construction are the same as those previously described for the preferred form.

A second modified front bar is illustrated in Fig. 8, wherein a pair of tubular central members 52 are split at each end, as at 53, and threaded to receive knurled locking nuts 54. Each central member telescopically engages a corner member 55 at its outer end and a connecting member 56 formed of rod stock at its inner end. Other details are similar to those previously described for the preferred form.

In the case of exceptionally large and heavy awnings it is sometimes necessary to use tubular stock for all of the long bar members; but tubular stock is not satisfactory for the folding corner members. Fig. 9 illustrates the side bar portion of a corner member suitable for use with heavy awnings. In this construction 6| indicates the pivot surface of a corner member, having an aperture 62 to receive a rivet or the like for a pivot. 63 is an interlocking portion similar to the portion 28 of the preferred frame. The stub rod 64 is welded into a tubular member 65 close to the interlocking portion 63, so that most of the bar projecting from the corner member has the strength of the tubular construction. Plainly, a similar structure may also be employed for that part of the corner member which forms a part of the front bar assembly.

The above and foregoing detailed description is for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be construed there'- from.

I claim:

1. An adjustable frame for use with one of several pre-cut and finished fabric awnings the dimensions of which vary over a substantial range, comprising: a front bar formed of a plurality of ong, telescopically adjustably engaging elements having smooth, longitudinally and circumferentially continuous bearing surfaces which have elongated areas of contact in all positions of adjustment of the front bar, at least some of said elements being tubular and having smooth internal and external bearing surfaces, said elements affording a substantially continuous hearing surface for engagement with a fabric awning, and said front bar including end elements; locking means surrounding parts of each of said ele ments for detachably retaining said elements against any relative movement in any desired position; and a pair of side bars secured to the end elements in such a way as to be movable between an assembled position perpendicular to the front bar and a collapsed position parallel thereto.

2. The awning frame of claim 1 in which the frnnt bar includes a pair of tubes, each of which engages one of the end elements, and a connecting piece engaging both the tubes.

3. The awning frame of claim 2 in which the connecting piece has an internal diameter greater than the external diameter of the tubes.

4. The awning frame of claim 2 in which the connecting piece has an external diameter less than the internal diameter of the tubes.

5. The awning frame of claim 1 in which the front bar includes only a single tube which engages both end elements. 4

6. The awning frame of claim 1 in which any exposed end portion of a tubular element is provided with a thread, and the locking means comprises a slidable split collet surrounding an element of the front bar and having a flat face abutting against said exposed end of the tubular element, said collet having a cam surface at its outer end, and a threaded nut to screw on said thread, said nut having an internal cam surface complementary to that on the collet so as to force the collet into close frictional engagement with the element which it surrounds as the nut is screwed onto the thread.

7. The awning frame of claim 1 in which any exposed end portion of a tubular element is provided with a taper thread and is longitudinally split to permit it to flex radially, and a nut screws REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,557,923 Carroll Oct. 20, 1925 1,717,921 Gillet June 18, 1929 1,730,085 Moeller Oct. 1, 1929 1,801,534 Wechsler Apr. 21, 1931 1,932,945 Wilson Oct. 31, 1933 

